Strictly Come Dancing professional Kevin Clifton has revealed that he used alcohol to cope with his break-up from Karen Hauer, and received help from none other than Russell Brand.

The 36-year-old relied on Brand for support when he realised that his drinking had gone too far after he split from the fellow dancer last year.

Speaking on his podcast The Kevin Clifton Show, he said:

"I didn't know how to deal with it. It was affecting my work, it was affecting mine and Karen's relationship. I didn't know how to function as a person."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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"It's as close as I can imagine to what might be like depression. I fell into a real tough spot. I started drinking a lot. I was going out and drinking all the time.

"I talked to some of the people on Strictly about it," he added. "I was constantly stressed out, constantly emotional, constantly sad. It got to a point, and then me and Karen ended up breaking up."

Russell has battled numerous addictions from alcohol to drugs, and reached out to Kevin when he saw he had a problem, advising him to quit booze for two months.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Since quitting alcohol, Kevin's life has improved drastically and he's found happiness with Stacey Dooley after the pair met on Strictly, winning the 2018 series together.

He said on his podcast: "My life over the past year has gone from darkness, despair and self hatred to everything going so much better.

"I'm so much happier now than I was a year ago." Kevin and Karen got married in 2015 but split up only three years later.

Feature image: Instagram/@davenelsonphotographer